On April 30th, 2013 the DIFC Court of First Instance accepted jurisdiction over a dispute between a DIFC-based reinsurer and an Abu Dhabi …

Antonios Dimitracopoulos, Partner and Head of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Bin Shabib & Associates LLP, Dubai, explains how local jurisprudence is likely to deal with ambiguous and contradictory dispute resolution clauses.

Muhammad Tariq, Senior Legal Counsel at TECOM Investments shares with us his experience working in-house after closing the chapter on his days as an M&A private practitioner at Al Tamimi & Company. Leaving his former position somewhat reluctantly at first, he is now comfortably juggling the many roles the in-house move has demanded of him and offers up his advice for managing the position with efficiency, humility and decorum.

Alec Emmerson and Keith Hutchison of Clyde & Co LLP share with us some of the implications and effects of the recent ruling on the recognition and enforcement of foreign awards in Dubai. Here, they highlight the importance of the decision and indicate that whilst an element of uncertainty still remains, clarity is within reach.

Our cover story takes you through the merits and loopholes of employment legislation in various jurisdictions across the Asia and MENA regions. In addition, Bae Kim & Lee navigate the Korean employment maze and home in on dismissal issues whilst Al Tamimi provide us with an absorbing update on the state of play of employment in the UAE. We are also excited to showcase the results from our External Counsel of the Year survey - where in-house counsel were asked to weigh in on who they believed to be exceptional external counsel in their own jurisdictions. We bring you the results and more here.

Last year’s strong M&A activity in Asia has continued in the first half of 2011. In our Special Report, senior lawyers practising in the field share their insights into the factors driving activity, from Asia’s thirst for overseas acquisitions to foreign companies trying to gain a foothold in emerging markets. Find out why Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami could stimulate outbound investment, and how the UAE’s distinct business culture can present challenges for the unwary investor. Features articles contributed by Hogan Lovells, K&L Gates, Melli Darsa & Co, Phoenix Legal, Tilleke & Gibbins, DFDL Mekong and Indochine Counsel.

While conventional financial transactions in the West are in turmoil, there is a refreshing burst of optimism in the world of Islamic finance, according to Arti Sangar, partner in charge of Diaz Reus & Targ’s Dubai office. She takes a look at the challenges in an evolving sector.

In this month’s Special Report on dispute resolution, we take a look at how Asia Pacific’s role as an international centre for dispute resolution, particularly arbitration, has grown against a backdrop of increasing cross-border transactions. As demand has grown exponentially, so Asia’s leading arbitration centres – including HKIAC, KCAB and SIAC – have moved with the times to maximise the services they provide in a constantly evolving legal framework. We examine some of the key new laws which have shaped dispute resolution in 2010 and outline some of the challenges in pursuing justice through both litigation and arbitration.

In our latest edition, we take a look at why attitudes towards corporate governance are shifting in the Middle East, and investigate the steps being taken to overcome barriers to its effective implementation. Meanwhile, leading firms discuss the flow of trade along the New Silk Road, why Dubai's approach to company set-ups is likely to pay off, and why a recent UK case is generating concern for parties to future Islamic finance transactions.

In the latest issue of Asian-Counsel, we uncover the lofty aims of several arbitration centres in the region. We also receive comprehensive updates from a host of leading law firms, and the SIAC, as to the state of dispute resolution across the Middle East, Vietnam, South Korea, India, Hong Kong and Singapore.